The comical amount in the proposed settlement is disheartening. What are everyone’s thoughts? Has anyone sought out legal advice as to options if we do not accept settlement? For what they are offering, I don’t know if it’s worth the paper needed to sign. From what I understand, there is a possibility that you could accept settlement and get nothing, or next to nothing. I think that is extremely unfair. I could go on, but I would really like to know if anyone has talked to an attorney as to our options if we decline settlement?
Seconded! We’re talking about this in the other settlement thread, but it’s unclear if anyone else is taking these cases. If you have any info, please post asap!
I didn’t see much recently in that thread, so I thought I would ask. I’m surprised there isn’t more talk about it, we only have a few more days. I don’t have answers, looking to see if anyone else does.
I’m gonna sign and notarize the docs today. I agree the amount is paltry and that there is no justice in this world. But I just want to move on with my life and I just don’t see the lawsuits going much further. Research is more important anyway.
Agreed. And feels extremely rushed and pressured after years of silence. Where are you seeing settlement amounts? The paperwork I got mentions none. For reference it is for Case: MID-L-2483-12, Superior Court Of New Jersey (Middlesex County).
It’s not easy to get, but see the other thread for info on the global settlement fund. I spoke with the partner at the firm that’s representing many people in the MDL, and he/she’s claiming they’re losing money due to court fees and the small settlement fund. He basically said that they brought in (sometimes flew in internationally) all the best medical experts they could find, and the judge wasn’t convinced that finasteride was the cause of our problems because the medical evidence isn’t there yet. He basically said “Merck won this one.” What’s worse is I know the medical evidence will get there eventually, but Merck won’t have to defend itself against it because of this settlement, the statute of limitations in each state, and the fact that they changed the FDA label on the Propecia box in 2012. So they can get any case thrown out if you started taking the drug after 2012 and experience permanent sexual sides.
We all have no good options. It really sucks, but if you don’t participate in this settlement you’re likely outside your statute of limitations for your state to sue on your own now. There’s also now this mdl settlement that sets a precedent, and you’d have to hire all of the same medical experts to testify in your own trial (which is going to cost $$$$ that most of us likely do not have). So we’re all maybe getting enough money for a nice meal for our life long debilitation, pain, and suffering. This money is nothing to Merck. They make it all back in probably less than a day or so.
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I believe the settlement is $4.8 million/ 563 plaintiffs. That averages about $8,500 a piece. Don’t quote me, but I believe each case will be reviewed and damages awarded on a case by case basis. That means some of us will probably get next to nothing. I did not have a good feeling when Sanders took over the case. I’m not astute in legal matters, but you have thousands of men who had issues with this, some of which committed suicide over this. Merck has changed the damn labeling since, is that not admission that we were taken advantage of? I told myself from day one to not expect any damages out of this. I almost think I would be better off if there was no settlement. There is no dollar amount that would justify to me what this is done to me. However, the fact that some judge thinks there isn’t evidence enough that propecia is fully responsible for our situations, all the health costs we incurred were part of some scam and for our troubles, I mean destroyed lives, how’s $8,500 sound? I wonder how they would feel if something happened to them or perhaps their son? $8,500… I don’t think so.
I don’t know, options are limited and what little energy I have is probably not best spent on another lawsuit. I do hope there are some people that don’t accept these terms, sue the pants off of Merck and win. I’ll be thrilled for them and the rest of us will have some validation.
Aren’t there still more than 563 plaintiffs? I.e. Aren’t there plaintiffs being represented who are not being asked to be part of the settlement?
I took Finasteride in 2017, at the age of 18. My entire life has been decimated, from my brain to my genitals. If I were you, I wouldn’t touch the money unless 1. you have no possibility of suing them again in any manner (as I believe once the evidence comes out, if we’re allowed to sue, we’ll have a much stronger case.) or 2. you plan to donate the money to the foundation.
Of course, what you all choose to do with the money is entirely up to you, but the joy that ~$8500 can get you, especially in this PFS state, is nothing compared to what we will feel once the studies give us answers and the chance to cure ourselves. I’m not sure this will happen with the first study or the second or the third, but it will eventually happen. And the money we put in makes it happen faster.
I agree that it’s not right, but the issue is that unless you have an active suit and took the drug before 2012, the statute of limitations has already passed for just about every state. So unless you’re suing for something like fraud or criminal acts, you only have a short window to actually sue Merck in civil court. It’s terrible, but true.
Borax, that’s awful, hopefully the past 20 years of looking for answers will benefit you at your young age. Unfortunately, for most of us our fight is over. Good luck in yours.
Just curious, isn’t it the case that the statute of limitations can be ignored if discovery/attribution of harm was not possible before the time in question? I’m not familiar with US law.
The fight is not over for you. The fight is not over for anyone here. You’ve all been fighting for way longer than I have, but we need to keep pushing on. We will reach our goal. We will get back our lives. We just need to work hard, try to fund studies, work on other ideas.
We will overcome this. We have no choice.
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The fight with propecia is not over, unfortunately for many of us our legal options are expiring.
My understanding is the statue of limitations started in 2012 when Merck changed labeling. To me that would be admission of guilt. Apparently a highly educated judge didn’t not feel the same.
Your 100 % correct if you took finasteride after 2012 you were one of the ones whose lawsuits were thrown out by plaintiffs supposed expert consultants that we were not allowed to talk with or give their names and contact information by our lawyers to talk with . Our lawyers were in bed with Merck and sold the case out. If they felt so strongly they would appeal cases and appeal the verdict. That is not enough money to even pay for or get any medical help. $1,000 to $4,000 doesn’t pay anything at all doctors bills and future ones , medications or treatments, diagnostic testing let alone e the destruction of marriages and relationships, and peoples jobs and businesses etc.
I took finasteride from the veterans administration from Sep 2009 through approx May 2014 and despite having full blown symtomology before 2012 and statements in my medical record from the VA that all adverse symptomology from finasteride goes away once you cease the drug and that there are no specialists in PFS while verbal telling me and others from VA chief of staff and urologist former chief of staff " Your two evaluations are bogus , your doctors (3) are bogus and the PFS research is bogus and the NIH gives gobs diagnoses" my lawyer did nothing. She also dud nothing despite proof from a FOIA act VA pharmacy and VHA request showing and proving that the VA had no adverse symptomology drug warning labels and information despite FDA warnings in 2012 and 2014 . My class action sold me and other PFS vets down the drain and was totally negligent. In fact Mercks lawyer privately called me and told me she had no business suing Merck as my and other vets finasteride were generically manufactured and Merck does not manufacture generic finasteride. It is done by a handful of Indian companies who sell the poison to the VA and give perks to VA doctors to sell their drugs In fact it is sio bad the VA refuses and cannot tell us who the manufacturer is of our generic finasteride between Sep 2009 and May 2014 thus breaking our ability to sue and statue of limitations of 2 years is done due to VA coverup , discrimination, medical negligence and medical malpractice. Yet official VA policy states VA is to diagnose and treat from any drug symoptomology recognized by the FDA their prescription drugs which their ability to do so is a lie from their doctors . The FDA clearly states : “There maybe permanent symptomology from finasteride” The VA refuses to recognize such thus refusing to screen nor give base line hormone testing nor diagnosis or evaluation nor treatment !!! I have veery clear documents and the VA has lied, covered up, discriminated against PFS patients lying and telling us its due to our PTSD or mental health status kept in check for years or due to enlarged prostate or BPH. The Va cant even diagnose as two of the hormone blood tests they dont even have in their lab and have to be approved and sent out .
The Va psychiatrists neurologists etc give anti depressants illegally to PFS patients and refuse to recognize doctors or experts nor researchers in PFS . They are killing and injuring vets as this drug is being given to over 5 million or 20% of the Va population for BPH or enlarged prostate with no screening . There has not been one case nor my own and refusal to report by VAS doctors to VA pharmacy and then to FDA Medwatch one case of PFS
Not one lawyer will take our case or any case of VA doctors and The Va discrimination in the forms of gross medical negligence and medical malpractice and is in fact violating their own rules and regulations concerning rteciognition of adverse affects that come from FDA label warnings.
It is very clear PFS lawyers refuse to take cases anymore nor any layer or against the VA and VA doctor medical discrimination of disability, via medical neglect and medical malpractice. One problem is the doctors who specialize in PFS as per the PFS foundation many do not take medicare medicaid or private insurance and one visit is $450 to $1,000 plus per visit not including drugs-medications , hormone blood testing or diagnostic workups, and long travel costs and possible hotel-motel costs etc etc too see such doctors listed by the foundation. These so called PFS researchers and specialists also demand $50,000 to $60,000 and more to come to court and you need two experts. Yet these are our advocates or is it all about money and being paid. How many have donated to the PFS foundation. How many will be your advocate to help you fight the VA or your doctor who denies PFS exists . Its not about us patients and being an advocate and getting help for us , its all about greed and money .
We need to ask these specialist and researchers why they are not going to newspapers to VA officials and to ones doctors whip deny PFS exists and why are they not giving money to the PFS foundation or any PFS or Procepoia advocacy group while making big dollars off our backs to get help or to testify in court .
veteran All PFS veterans given their poison from the VA or a VA Choice or private doctor and all my fellow PFS suffers contact me at : lshorowitz@yahoo.com
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I am of the same opinion as most of you. Merck is getting away so easily. The total amount of the settlement is $4,292,000 so approximately maximum $7,000 per case. Ridiculous, 1 % of what Merck made in 2008 of this drug with $ 400,000,000. Then you can deduct your lawyers part and expenses and maybe you can get a burger with the rest.
I would like so much to take this further however it sounds like there are no options. Very disappointing as I was hoping Merck gets a lesson. And I was hoping to donate some significant funds to the PFS research as they do such a great job.
Let me know if anybody has an idea. Otherwise I guess I will sign it tomorrow.
Options against Merck are limited. I wouldn’t be surprised that it was drug out this long intentionally. I wastill given a deadline of July 6th to sign documents.